Improvement in hydrocarbon-furnaces



V v 2 Sheets-Sheet l. R. S; ROBERTSON.

, Hydrocarbon "Furnace. r No. 216,459. Patented June 10, 1879.

'UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD S. ROBERTSON, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN HYDROCARBON-FURNACES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 216,459, datcd June 10,1879 application filed January 27, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

2 a horizontal, section of my invention. Fig.

3% is a special burner for my furnace for benzine. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal vertical section of a modification. Fig. 4 is asection online w as of Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a vertical section on line '3 y of Fig. 3;and Fig. 6 a plan section on line 2 z of Fig. 5.

This invention relates to metallurgical furnaces of that class in whichthe heat is produced by the combustion of hydrocarbons and it consistsin the construction of a metallurgical furnace provided with ahydrocarbonburner, and having the flame-inlet at one extremity, and anoutlet at the opposite extremity, communicating with and leading theflames and heat through a circulating-flue surrounding the side walls ofthe furnace, whereby the waste heat is caused to heat the walls andcopnteract the efiect of radiation from the contents of the furnace,substantially as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings, which represent a steelmelting furnace, G designatesthe meltingchamber, in which the pots are placed; A, the combustionchamber or flue, into which projects a hydrocarbon-burner, B, chamber Aenterin g the foundation from one side and curving upward into themelting-chamber at the middle of its base, where it opens into a cage ordeflector, E, which serves two purposes. Having its top closed andopenings in its sides, it acts as a deflector or bridge to deflect theflames and heat outwardly to the pots or other contents, and, being flaton top, it serves previous to entering the melting chamber.

The melting-chamber of the figure is of the usual fourpot description,being capable, however, by reason of pedestal E, of accommodating fivepots. Its general form is eggshaped; but I construct it with fourvertical ribs, M, projecting from its sides, and so located relativelyto the four openings in the sides of bridge or deflector E that theflames .on passing out of these openings will impinge upon the edges ofthe ribs M, which divide them and cause a complete circulation aroundthe pots, which are set in the recesses formed by the ribs.

An annular flue, b, is constructed about the walls of chamber G, andcommunicating therewith through openings a, made at or near that end ofthe chamber which stands vertically farthest from the combustion flue orchamber A. Openings at maybelocated as desired; but I prefer to close upthe upper rear portion of flue b, and so cause theflamcs and heat topass off at side and front openings, at, whereby they must pass aroundthe chamber before reaching the stack F.

The hydrocarbon-burner B, of any kind,bein g supplied with heated orcool air, as found most suitable to the, purpose, is ignited, andprojects an intensely-hot flame-tongue through chamber A. It isbroken'up by breast s, and then passes up into the deflector E, where itis further divided and caused to pass out laterally into themelting-chamber G and strike the ribs M. These again out the flames andforce them to pass around the pots and beat the exterior of chamber G,and finally pass to the stack.

It will thus be seen that this final exterior circulation of the flamesand heat-currents serves to heat the walls of the melting-chamber,keeping them so hot as to absorb none of the heat from the interior, andhence the full heating power of the flames in the chamber isconcentrated upon its contents, and the maximum calorific effect isattained. 7

It is obvious that the relations may be inverted, as shown by themodification exhibited in Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6. Here I introduce theburner B at the upper part into the combustion-channel A, where theflames are broken against the breast or bridge E and spread downwardlyover thewhole interiorof cham-' ber G. Circulating throughout this theflames pass, by openings a at or near the bottom, into the annular flueb, as before, circulate through it, and heat the walls of chamber G, andfinally pass to the stack F. Air may be fed to the burner at openings n,if desired. I find it convenient in this modification to make acentralopening, e, in the bottom, which passes down into cross-fines i,thence into flue b, and

communicates with a cleaning-flue, 70. Two purposes are in view: toprovide an extra central flue for the flames and heat, if founddesirable, and to provide means of removing the pieces and contents of abroken pot in case of accident. In this modification the vertical ribs Mmay be applied also, if desired; and when they are applied .to eitherform it is advisable to make the draw-hole H square or rectangular, withthe corners immediately above the recesses formed between the ribs tofacilitate the placing and withdrawing of the pots without making thehole H so large as to be likely to chill the furnace when uncovered.

My invention admits of various uses, and is not limited to theemployment of any particular kind of hydrocarbon-burner. It has greatheating power, since all the available heat is at once and directlyapplied, without waste or loss, to the contents, the walls of theheatingchamber being highly heated by the waste products of combustionpassing around them in the exterior annular flue.

The furnace may be made to contain, normally, three, four, five, orother number of pots, with ribs to correspond, and in every case roomfor one pot more is made by the deflector-stand E, the extra potstanding up high and receiving the heat and flames after they rise fromthe other parts.

As benzine and the lighter hydrocarbons vaporize more readily, I prefer,when using them, to adapt my burner accordingly. This I do by making anextension, 19, to the burner, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, whichpasses to the opening in the bottom of furnace, where it. terminates ina perforated ring, as in Fig.

I thus waste no heat in the combustionchannel, but project the flamesstraight upwardly into the deflector.

I claim as my invention 1. A metallurgical furnace provided with ahydrocarbon-burner, and having the flame-inlet at one extremity and anoutlet at the opposite extremity, communicating with and leading theflames and heat through a circulatingflue surrounding the side walls ofthe furnace, substantially as described, whereby the waste heat iscaused to heat the walls and counteract the effects of radiation fromthe contents of the furnace.

2. In a metallurgical furnace, the combination, with the heating ormelting chamber thereof, of a circulating-flue communicating therewithand surrounding the side walls of said chamber, to carry off the heatand flames to the stack, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the central. deflector,

E, having side openings, and the vertical ribs.

M, said ribs having their front edges opposite the openings in thedeflector E, substantially as described.

4.. The combination of burner B, combus tion-chamber A, deflector E,heating-chamber G, flues a and b, and stack-flue F, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this21st day of January, 1879.

RICHARD s. ROBERTSON.

Witnesses:

T. J. MGTIGHE, JAlVIES J MCTIGHE.

